Day 1

I have completed my first day as a degree-holding writing professional. Here are some things I learned:

1. Writing deadlines for magazines are almost humorous when compared to their counterparts in the newspaper industry. If I wanted, I could hammer out every assignment I have in a week, and I've been given over a month. I'm not sure how to deal with this yet.

2. It's nice having your own office. I work in a converted old-timey hotel in downtown Idaho Falls, so the offices of today were hotel rooms in 1945. I've got a washroom attached to my room... a bath used to be in there, but was ripped out sometime ago. It's fun. 

3. Harris Publishing is a really laid-back place to work. After being employed at "rah rah rah go get 'em don't stop until you drop" phone jobs for the past five years of my life, it's incredibly quiet. People just get their work done, no need for micro-managing or keeping track of stats. 

In short, so far, so good. I wonder if I brought up my ability to complete more work I could parlay it into a raise. 

Well, that was quick

I got an e-mail this morning from Harris Publishing offering me the full-time editing/staff writing position. Pays pretty well (more than I would have gotten if I'd been hired on at the Post Register) and has benefits and all that good stuff. 

Woot!

Of course, this means we'll be sticking around Eastern Idaho for longer than we expected, but that's fine. At this point, I'm just glad I have a job that I think I'll enjoy. 

It's nice to move on from the student phase of life I've been in for what seems like a decade and into the professional phase. 

The job hunt continues

Thus far my efforts to find a job have met with rejection at every turn. I haven't even received a response from 95% of the businesses I've applied with. It's highly moralizing. 

But today, I actually interviewed with a publishing company in Idaho Falls. I wore a tie and everything.

It's Harris Publishing, and they produce 12 different magazines with topics ranging from boating to potato growing. Mandi found the job opening for me on betteridahofallsjobs.com for a part-time editor. At this point, I just need to get a start to my writing career, and am not feeling overly picky. While not a sports writing position, this job would help me get some good experience editing and involvement in the magazine industry. 

So I applied online. A couple days later, I received an e-mail response from Brady Kay, Executive Editor. He told me he felt I was overqualified for the position I'd initially applied for, but told me he was looking for an editor/writer position and asked if I'd like to interview for it.

This afternoon I went to downtown Idaho Falls and met with him and one other gentleman named Greg. We discussed my ability to work under a deadline (compared to a sports writing deadline, magazine deadlines are cake), willingness to do some travel, and whether or not I wanted full- or part-time work, among other topics.

I think it went well. The environment was very, very low-key, which I like. I hope I came across as someone they could see fitting into such an environment. I feel like I answered all the questions to their satisfaction, and did not give them any reason to disqualify me from the position. 

I wish I'd focused more on the fact that I am a writer that I am confident in my writing abilities... it's what I do and what I want to do for my career, but we did touch on this a couple times, and my history with the Post Register (which we discussed quite a bit) indicates it pretty well. 

They said they'd let me know by Monday, so we're praying it works out. 

The Latest and Greatest at the Barrus Apartment

So nothing all that exciting is going on at the moment, but here is an update on the small happenings of the Barrus family:  

I am flying to Phoenix for my first graduate audition this weekend.  I can't wait to get on the ASU campus and see if it's the right place for us.  I am also nervous because this will be the first time in my 23 years that I have flown and navigated a large city on my own.  It will be exciting!  

Teaching is going well this semester--my students are all so sweet and talented. It's very rewarding teaching them.  I was also cast as Cherubino in a scene from Marriage of Figaro that Opera Scenes will be staging in March, so that's going to keep me busy.  

Brandon is working 30 hours a week at Western Wats, a phone survey place here in Rexburg.  He works "day shop" calling businesses that want to participate in surveys, so it's not as bad a job as it might sound. :) He is very good at it and can make decent money (for an hourly job in a tiny town).  Bran is also stringing for the Post Register and just had another story published yesterday.  We are job searching and would appreciate your prayers as he tries to get hired in this chancy economy. 

Scott is nearly walking--as soon as he figures out that he can stand on his own, I'm sure walking won't be far behind.  Right now we hold him up to stand but he has a hard time balancing because he only wants to jump, jump, jump!  He is an energetic and talkative baby, and we sure love him.  It's hard to believe he's already 10 months old--his 1st birthday keeps getting closer and closer!

We finally made some decisions about our future here in the Frozen Wasteland:  April 15, 2009 will be our last day.  Our apartment contract is up, the semester will be over, and we will have decided by then what graduate program I'll be attending, so we'll fly the coop.  We could stay in Rexburg until August when I start school, but we'd rather not move twice this year, if we can help it. We are excited and nervous to move to a new state and to have new jobs, new friends, and a new, warmer climate--hooray!